1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle door locking and unlocking system, which locks and unlocks a vehicle door by remote operation using a remote controller or the like, and more specifically, relates to a vehicle door locking and unlocking system, in which locking confirmable period is provided after locking.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional vehicle door locking and unlocking system, there is known a so-called smart entry system, wherein communication is performed between a portable machine (a remote controller) which transmits a door locking or unlocking signal and a receiver (controller) provided in a vehicle, and locking or unlocking of a door is performed without using a door key (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-30845).
In the smart entry system, when a user with the portable machine operates a door handle at the time of getting on a car, a touch sensor provided in the door handle detects the operation, and a request signal is transmitted from an in-vehicle apparatus to the portable machine. When the portable machine has received the request signal, the portable machine transmits a response signal including information of an ID code indicating that the user is the proper user to the vehicle, and the door is unlocked upon confirmation of the ID code. On the other hand, when the user operates, for example, a request switch installed in the vicinity of the door handle, communication is performed as described above between the vehicle and the portable machine, and the door is locked upon confirmation of the ID code.
FIG. 6 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-30845 illustrates a conventional example of a portable machine, and a transmission section and a transmission antenna provided on a vehicle for communicating with the portable machine.
FIG. 3 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-30844 illustrates a conventional example of a touch sensor for detecting that the door handle is operated.
In the conventional smart entry system, after having locked the door by using the system, the user may confirm that the door has been locked securely by operating the door handle. If this locking confirmation action is performed immediately after the door has been locked by using the system, the touch sensor detects the operation of the door handle. Therefore, communication is performed between the vehicle and the portable machine, and upon confirmation of the ID, the door is unlocked. In other words, the door is unlocked again, resulting from the user's locking confirmation action. This is because the system judges that the user's locking confirmation action as the unlocking operation.
To dissolve such a problem, there is a method in which after locking the door by the system, locking confirmable predetermined time (hereinafter, referred to as a “locking confirmable period”) for permitting user's locking confirmation action is provided. Specifically, for a predetermined period after locking the door, for example, for a period of several seconds, the detection operation of the touch sensor is made invalid. In other words, even if the user operates the door handle for confirming locking of the door in the locking confirmable period after locking the door, the touch sensor does not detect the operation of the door, to avoid unlocking of the door.
As described above, in the conventional smart entry system, the locking confirmable period has been set, during which even if the user operates the door handle to confirm locking after locking the door, the door is not unlocked.
However, it is difficult for the user to recognize the actual locking confirmable period, at the time of confirming locking of the door, though the user understands the locking confirmable period. For example, when the user does not perform the locking confirmation action, and tries to perform the locking confirmation action after some time has passed, it is difficult to judge whether it is within the locking confirmable period.
Therefore, after the locking confirmable period has passed after locking the door, if the user operates the door handle for confirming locking condition of the door, without noticing that the locking confirmable period has already passed, the door is unlocked. Hence, it is necessary to inform the user of the locking confirmable period.
In view of the above situation, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle door locking and unlocking system that informs the user of the locking confirmable period.